Heavenly Virtues

Part 53

"What's got ye so worked up, lass?" She sat down at the counter and ran her fingers through her hair, resting her elbows on the bar and keeping her head in her hands until her granda returned with some water. She turned to face him as he sat on the stool next to her, the worried look on his face made her stomach drop as she took a sip of water.

"The boys. They've– They've taken it upon themselves to 'clean up' Boston." The emphasis on clean up made Docs eyes narrow, and she knew she had to elaborate. "They're killin people granda." She said through a strained voice. His brows furrowed as he tilted his head "what do ya mean lass? They're killin people?"

She sighed as she ran her hands down her face, obviously in distress. "After the other day in the alley, they–" She sighed trying to gather her thoughts. "They said they had a 'calling' they woke up yesterday and had this feeling that they had to kill people." Her eyebrows were furrowed now too, her eyes to the ground but her Granda's follow up question made it obvious she hadn't answered his question.

"What do ye mean 'people', love?" Her eyes widened slightly as her head slowly moved to face him. "Does it matter?!" She questioned "I think you're missing the big picture here granda." She chuckled in disbelief.

He shook his head and readjusted in his seat. "I've known those boys some years now lass. They aren't the type to just wake up one day an go on a spree." Her eyes dropped from his, she knew that. They were good men, caring, loving, loyal. Her eyes searched the patterning in the wood of the counter as she considered the question.

'Does it matter?' Does it matter who they were killing. In the grand scheme, yes. They were killing people, but as Ashley racked her brain she was surprised she had found herself getting less disgusted with their acts. "Bad men. They're killing bad men, mobsters, gangsters." She said with a defeated look.

She watched as Doc tilted his head to the side in thought. "Ye said it was a calling lass?" She sighed heavy again as she nodded. "They had a dream that night, when we stayed at the station. Said they were called on to do this, I mean I had a dream too that night, not like them and I thought it was just cause of the stuff that had happened that day but–"

"But now ye think ye were being called on too?" Ashley hadn't realized her head had dropped as she rambled away until her head snapped up to face him again. "Is that crazy?" She asked after a pause. He hesitated for a second before responding "the lord w-w-works in mysterious ways, lass. Yer faith was weak when ye got here all those months ago. I've seen ye f-f-flourish wit these boys, yer faith restored. It's not too hard ta believe the lord may be testin ye, callin on ye ta... ta make the world a b-b-better place for yer wee one."

Her eyebrows furrowed further as her hand raised to her stomach, yet she stayed silent. Her granda sighed as he leaned forward towards Ashley. "Ye know, those two, when ye were in the hospital they blamed themselves everyday until you woke up. They felt guilty that you had been alone, that they weren't there to protect ye." There was a pause and Ashley went to speak before she was cut off. "Then, lass, when they were there." He shrugged. "You almost died again, I can see where they'd think stoppin it before it gets ta ye would be the best option."

He leaned back on the stool, nodding to himself. "Those boys are fierce fer the ones they love, ye saw it here when those men tried to shut down me pub." He gestured to the room. "Those boys love ye more then life itself. And wit yer little one on the way, they're jus protectin what's their's lass."

She sighed hard as a weight felt like it had been lifted on her chest. She went to open her mouth again to speak as the bell above the door rang and Kathy, along with some of the regulars made their way in. Doc got up after giving Ashley a good few pats on the leg and made his way behind the counter to start pouring. Ashley turned and leaned on the counter again, playing with her engagement ring on her finger.